INSIDER

Forget Zara a Second—It's THIS Store We're Suddenly Shopping at Again

I had an inkling about it a while ago, but the arrival of an autumn/winter 2017 lookbook confirmed it: Urban Outfitters is on fire, in fashion terms. Further information came courtesy of the American retailer's PR team when I questioned them. While many other stores are losing traction on the high street, UO just opened three new spaces in 23 days and celebrated its fourth consecutive record-breaking season in terms of sales.

A selection of bloggers have already been tapping this secret resource for goodies—Lizzy Hadfield of Shot From the Street has been heading to UO for alternative basics such as slogan tees (like this ABC T-shirt for £26) and duster coats while the likes of Olivia from Olivia by Nature have sought out some more adventurous pieces like the teddy-bear coats.

But stats aside, the proof is in the sartorial pudding, and I'd like to take double helpings. For some time, I had imagined Urban's rails to be too "young" for me. There was definitely a phase in the store's recent history where festival-ready clothes were becoming the norm, and that wasn't what I was in the market for. Today, however, alongside some of the pieces that the hippest young fashion fans will undoubtedly gravitate towards (see the plethora of Fila sweatshirts, for example), there's a veritable banquet of grown-up goods on offer. Cue the store's first-ever tailoring pieces, a selection that even includes a unisex trouser suit (to be delivered imminently) as well as a series of boxy blazers that tap into the trending 1980s silhouette.

A post shared by Olivia. (@oliviabynature) on Sep 5, 2017 at 11:47am PDT

What's more is that UO is filling some really niche fashion gaps, as well. Everything corduroy I've been dreaming of? It's there, in abundance, alongside a raft of vinyl finishes too. How about the midpriced statement coat I can't seem to find anywhere else? UO has it thanks to the retailer's unusual range of contemporary brands. And that under-the-radar edit from a label no one else has heard of yet? Yep, you guessed it.

There are still lots of autumn pieces to come, but you can shop my current edit of 15 great buys below.